Production of Apple television expected to begin in May/June for late 2012 launch

Overseas suppliers have begun to ship parts for Apple's anticipated television set as the company gears up to begin production as soon as May, according to a new report.

Analyst Peter Misek with Jefferies said in a note to investors on Tuesday that "specialty components" have already begun to ship to Apple's panel suppliers in Asia. Components being shipped are said to include polarized films, filters, and IGZO components, though they are currently being supplied in "small quantities."

As the components for an Apple television start to trickle in, Misek believes commercial production of the rumored device will begin in May or June, with between 2 million and 5 million units built initially. He expects the full-fledged television set to launch in the fourth quarter of calendar 2012.

The information comes from a trip to Asia that Misek recently took, which he said made him "more bullish" on AAPL stock. On his trip, Misek said he was shown "early production evidence of iTV," which led him to believe that full-scale production is now only months away.

Tuesday's note also declares that concerns over availability of the Retina display found in Apple's new iPad are "overblown." He sees Apple building between 12 million and 15 million iPads in the first quarter of calendar 2012, with production growing to as high as 20 million next quarter.

Misek has raised his calendar 2012 iPhone estimates to 155 million, from 145 million, as he believes Apple will launch a sixth-generation iPhone in the third quarter of calendar 2012.

small quantities means its more likely they are prototyping. These parts could be anything including the next new iPad. it doesn't equal a TV set. Even if it is something that size it could just be a dummy display to revamp the cinema display line.

I don't take rumors seriously from anyone who's still calling the NEXT iPhone the iPhone 5. The release of the new iPad is a sign for naming to come for the iPhone as well. The iPhone 5 came and went with the iPhone 4S. Get over it. The next iPhone will be the 6th generation... The next iPhone will be called... iPhone... period.